Barking is something which is natural with the dogs but even then many of us would ideally want them not to bark. Now this is unrealistic because dogs can not survive without barking. Just the way we talk; they bark. You can not ask anyone to stop talking and stop expressing oneself. In the same way you can not expect the dog not to bark at all.
But expecting your dogs to bark less is realistic. While training your dog, you can train him to bark only when necessary. Curing excessive barking is not that easy and you will have to go deep into the dog psychology to understand this completely.
To train the dog not to bark excessively, you will have to first find the reasons behind the excessive barking. Without finding the reasons behind excessive dog barking, you will never be able to train him to stop excessive barking.
Generally all the dogs bark because of the same reasons. There may be something wrong with your dog and this may cause excessive barking. Remember that when dog barks he may want to get your attention. This is one way of getting your attention. So never ignore it but try to know what the dog wants. If he is ill or is suffering from loneliness, you will hear him barking a lot.
When you are training your dog, make sure that you discourage excessive barking from stage one. If you do not discourage excessive barking and you do not tell him that this is not some thing that you want him to do, he will never learn it. When the dog barks because of improper reasons, show him that you do not want him to bark.
The dog would bark while playing with you. You will have to provide him with another alternative to express his feelings and excitement. Similarly, if the dog is upset or is in some trouble, you should teach him alternate behavior to express it. If you will do this, then the dog will certainly learn with time and will follow your dictation.
If despite all your efforts, the dog is not stopping the excessive barking, you should pay proper attention to it. If you are not paying the proper attention, then the dog will make a habit of doing this and you will not be able to train him the way you have desired. Make sure that you have a good relationship with the dog. This will let you spot the problem immediately and you will be able to find a solution to that.
If you really want your dog to be a little silent and well mannered, then you will have to reward him for his good behavior. Let him know what is acceptable and what is not acceptable.